The Outdoorsman: Don't feed the bears

California is in one of its worst droughts in more than a century. If the drought continues there is sure to be water rationing throughout much of the state. However, it's not only people who are impacted by the drought; animals are also suffering. A good example is the Mendocino National Forest. The entire forest is bone dry and streams that should be running with water at this time of the year are now dry. The same applies to the foliage. There is very little greenery anywhere in the forest. The result is that deer and other wild animals are going hungry and are migrating down to residential neighborhoods.

It's not only deer showing up in local neighborhoods, but bears as well. At the recent Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Council meeting the Department of Fish and Wildlife (DWF) game wardens reported they have received a number of calls from residents in the Clearlake Oaks area complaining about bears showing up on their decks and in their backyards. Chuck Lamb of Clearlake Oaks said that his wife Holly was walking up their driveway a few months ago when a bear appeared only 10 feet away. He said they looked at each other and the bear ambled away. Their neighborhood has had bears destroy several chicken coops. According to Lamb, a bear climbed up on his neighbor's deck and looked in through the patio window.

Game Warden Tim Little said the reason the bears are showing up in residential neighborhoods in the county is because they are hungry and people often feed them because they look cuddly. The bears will eat cat or dog food that has been placed out for pets. In addition, they will kill and eat domestic cats and dogs. In California it is illegal to feed big-game mammals such as bears or deer and you can be cited and fined. Only in rare cases will the DFW relocate a problem bear because relocating them just moves the problem elsewhere. Most of the time the bear is put down.

According to DFW wildlife biologists, bears will become semi-domesticated when they are fed and can be extremely dangerous. The bear arrives in a backyard and expects to find food. If he doesn't find it, he will often become aggressive. They also lose their fear of humans and can attack. They are a large animal and extremely strong and they are also very fast and can reach speeds up to 30 mph for short distances. Attacks by black bears on humans are rare but they do occur and there have been people killed by bears.

According to the (DFW), there are approximately 30,000 to 40,000 bears in the state. All the wild bears in California are of the black bear species. There are no grizzlies. The color of black bears ranges from totally black to blonde. Many black bears have a white patch on their throats or chests. They also have five toes on each foot with long claws, which makes them excellent tree climbers. An adult black bear weighs from 150 to 350 pounds although there have been recorded instances where an adult bear has weighed more than 600 pounds. They can live as long as 20 years in the wild. Bears are classified as "omnivores," meaning they will eat both plant and animal matter, including insects, nuts, berries and even decaying meat. In fact, they have such a good digestive system that they can eat rotting meat that would make many other animals sick. Bears will also kill and eat any animal they can catch. Rodents make up an important part of their diet. They also love ants and will break open rotting logs to get at them.

It's not just the bears that can become a problem, according to biologists. Deer, raccoons, skunks and other wild animals naturally fear people and keep their distance, however, once they become accustomed to humans they lose their natural ways and can become dangerous. By intentionally feeding wildlife on your property you are setting the stage for conflict. Deer that have grown dependent on artificial food sources can become aggressive with humans, pets and each other. They are more likely to become entangled in fences, hammocks and swing sets and the potential for property damage and deer/vehicle collisions skyrockets. Deer and other wildlife in close proximity are also more susceptible to illness and disease.

Whereas it's nice to view wild animals don't feed or water them. It not only can result in their death but you or a loved one might be injured as well.